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FMCSA Nominee Martinez Committed to ELD Rule

Raymond Martinez, President Trump’s nominee for Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said in Senate testimony that he will not delay implementation of the electronic logging device mandate that starts to kick in on Dec. 18, less than seven weeks from now.

Replying to Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-TX) query as to whether FMCSA “should delay the implementation of the mandate prior to Dec. 18” specifically “in light of the cost” estimated to implement it of $2 billion, Martinez said that while “regulatory reform should be an ongoing process,” it is “legally required” that the December deadline to implement the ELD mandate be met.

In his Oct. 31 testimony before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on his nomination to head FMCSA, Martinez went on to state that, if confirmed, he would “look forward to working with industry and all stakeholders, safety advocates and particularly the impacted sectors of commerce.

“I’ve heard that this rule could cause serious hardship to some small independent truckers, particularly those working in the agricultural sector,” he explained, “so, I’d want to meet with those involved in those areas who oppose the rule to learn more about their concerns. The goal is to not cripple commerce. The goal is to make our roadways safer. That is our mission and that’s in everything we approach… through that lens of safety.

“So, first and foremost,” Martinez added, “[I would] abide by the law, but also have an open door policy and work with all the impacted stakeholders.”

Martinez is currently Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. His previous experience includes serving as Chairman of the Governors Traffic Safety Committee in New York.

In his opening statement, Martinez related his bona fides to lead the federal safety-enforcement agency. “As the former motor vehicle commissioner and chairman of the Governors Traffic Safety Committee in New York State and the current chairman and chief administrator of the State of New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, I have been a partner with other state agencies as well as stakeholders to advance safety on our roads.

"I have developed close working relationships with both FMCSA and [National Highway Traffice Safety Administration] as well as with safety advocates, including AAA, the National Safety Council, and MADD," he continued. "I believe that open communication and collaboration are very important and would continue this practice as FMCSA administrator.”

Martinez noted that while serving in both the New Jersey and New York agencies, he “routinely engaged with thought leaders at some of the university research institutions in our region that continue to do great work in the area of traffic safety” as well as the consortium of 19 universities that make up the University Transportation Research Center based at the City University of New York.

He said having “this open dialogue and cross pollination of ideas was essential to problem-solving. Implementation of laws and promulgating regulations should be done with the best information available, and must be viewed by stakeholders as reasonable, rational and fair. If confirmed as FMCSA administrator, I would continue to pursue data-driven policies.”

The committee has not yet taken a vote on whether Martinez’s nominee is to be reported to the Senate favorably, unfavorably or without recommendation. Once they have voted, his nomination will come before the full Senate, which must confirm his nomination by a simple majority vote.

Comments

Fine with ELD just make the rules so they are the same for all trucks and split the sleeper berth 6&4 or 5&5, get rid of 14 hour rule then.

2.Kenny Scott[ November 02, 2017 @ 06:24AM ]

Delivering Kroger Atlanta 0300 app it is 0915 not unloaded yet. Can’t sleep anymore but will have to take 10 more hrs off. Without rules to shippers and receivers I stand no chance with ELD. Have save money for lawyer for BR in December. May need EBT card next. Thanks FMCSA. 45 years shot to hell.

3.Dean Hughson[ November 02, 2017 @ 06:26AM ]

Mr. Martinez,Your bull shit data states that ELD's will save 26 lives annually. What a terrible ROI. My common sense says 31.5 more live will be lost due to ELD's...

4.Pamela Van Eck[ November 02, 2017 @ 06:55AM ]

I own a small family owned trucking company working in the produce industry for the past 22 years. And, with ELD going into effect, this will only put myself and 99% of the owner operators out of business. So sad to watch this happening to so many friends & their families.

5.Steve kness[ November 02, 2017 @ 08:18AM ]

I read ^ I don't know anything about this ,but I'm going to back it ".proven fact more lives lost with ed's than non eld trucks....After Dec. 17 ..more deaths to elds , thanks ATA, fmcsa ,have any of you ever had a cdl.

6.Debi[ November 02, 2017 @ 09:29AM ]

Mr Martinez, while I'm sure you are proceeding along this path with input from many sources-you need to get into a semi and travel across the US and back so you also have common sense and hands on experience when dealing with this issue. While we all know that SAFETY is of the utmost importance, we who have done it also know that the rules being implemented are not feasible for success. Persons in your position need to get real.....or drive the small business owner out of business. ..which is the direction you are headed.

7.Richard Davis[ November 02, 2017 @ 01:52PM ]

How many miles has Martinez or anyone else in Washington, that think we need these ELDs, logged? Have any of them got a CDL, driven a truck or even been in a truck? Seen where 1 driver has been sitting at a Kroger for 6 hrs., are they going do anything about that when they make these ELDs the law? If not, you don't need a study to show the effect of ELDs on the economy, you will see it first hand, everyone will. More trucks on the road, to haul the freight. Which means even fewer drivers, than we have now. Which means a bigger parking problem or lack of parking. Just maybe this WILL raise the rates up a bunch.

8.AJ Chawla[ November 04, 2017 @ 10:30AM ]

Mr. Martinez,you got to have some common sense in this, You all law makers all making it tough for the industry to survive. you all passed out this law with ELD's . do you really understand what this will do.

1. You all have a law not using the phone while driving , but you want to use the computer mounted on the dash board on a 80000 LBS vehicle. (Genius)2.you have no rules for the shipper and receiver's to not hold the truck for long time. after blowing our whole day they slap $150 to $250 on our face and now comes the FMCSA slapping a new thing on us to even screw us more.3.when the truck, trailer, Insurance ,License Plate. Bank & Ins Company Note is more than $235.00 a day based on 22 work days a month. so we sit out there for free and not be able to pay our personal expenses.4.one more monthly bill to pay written on the stone.5.you are concerned of the highway safety and you don't we are too. what is it you think that "we don't want to make it back home safely to our family". so of course when are we tired we do take our breaks. we don't need another restriction on us how to manage our time.6.may be put couple of the people that gives you the messed up study & wrong information in a truck for few weeks and then ask them to give you a new study & see if it changes anything on there report.7. This will make drivers drive when they may be tired sleepy or aggravated from the wait at the customer & to comply with the FMCSA rule, then they got to fight the parking issue on top of that.8. HELP THE INDUSTRY INSTEAD OF CRIPPLING IT & THATS WHAT YOU FOLKS ARE ABOUT TO DO.

9.Carlton[ November 04, 2017 @ 03:20PM ]

these politicians are listening to ATA and their object is to put small truckers out of business and the companies making this device want to force us to buy their product. Thia will be biggest job killer ever and I have been in trucking 41 years and I am not into this modern technology and this will put me out.

10.Kenny Scott[ November 04, 2017 @ 03:45PM ]

This week I drove 2400 miles. Loaded and delivered 4 loads. Sat at shippers and recievers loading and unloading 24 hrs. Have no control over them. Got plenty of rest and ate were I wanted to. With Eld I would hauled 2 loads not ate right or slept right. Plus trucks where short so 2 loads would not got deliver. This rule will be a train wreck hurting all large and small companies. The hos is a joke and truckers have no protection from setting time. Remember the FMCSA has driver going to chiropractors for dot physicals I don’t think they are the brightest bunch at the current time. Help us Mr Martinez

11.Leo Wondergem[ November 05, 2017 @ 01:11AM ]

Dec 18 when the e-log goes in my truck i have no choice but to up my rates 30% i charge by the hour I haul construction Equipment to developers the cost gets dumped on them then to the business owner then other fright ups rates 20% how is small business to survive its going to jack prices through the roof. I'm not eating this cost it will be past on

12.jonalee mills[ November 25, 2017 @ 08:07AM ]

This man is getting paid to make sure the eld happens. Just like the politicans in dc. Truck drivers should stop running for just one week. They are running drivers out of this business!! But that is what they are getting paid to do..GET THEM OUT!!!!

13.jonalee mills[ November 25, 2017 @ 08:19AM ]

Martinez, get in a truck and drive before you make rules that is so bad for us. Now we know for sure you are on the payroll of large companies. CRIMINAL!!! SOOOO tired of all the criminals in dc who will do anything for money. And that is most of them!!

14.Marcel Suciu[ February 15, 2018 @ 01:35AM ]

Well Mr. Martinez,I believe if you read any of the above-shown comments and pay attention to all the real truck drivers and owner-operators and small fleet owners, which make up more than 80% of all trucks on the road, you will notice that the ELD is a mistake. At least under the current rules, it is a dissaster. Just had one of my drivers wake up in the middle of the night (not a night time driver) to drive the wee-hours of the night. I believe we should have different methods of testing drivers based on their own individuality and "safety-record" something that is not based on the FMCSA's score that mandates monthly QUOTA's and DOT officers who will give BAD DOT INSPECTIONS when a violation is discovered, but NOT GOOD DOT INSPECTIONS when a violation is NOT DISCOVERED, and many of the imperfect systems set in place currently designed to take the small fleet owner and owner-operators out of business. I hope you take into consideration the information that is readily available if you just look, read, and listen.

15.Marcel Suciu[ February 15, 2018 @ 01:35AM ]

There are plenty of us that will give you good reliable information without an agenda... Only agenda is for us to be able to make a living. I don't mind the implementation as far as an income revenue, because I make more money now than ever before since you have organized our own strike, when we could not all these years. Rates are where they should have been many years ago, but my concern is mostly something you would never think we would care - SAFETY. I always told my drivers "I don't care if you just woke up from a 15 hour sleep cycle... if you're tired, pull it over and go when you are ready to go." But the ELD system does not allow for a HUMAN with their quirks to be human and the basic human rights are being infringed against our constitutional rights... Those should be very concerning beliefs.

I propose FMCSA design or research as there must be a machine that could test the alertness of a driver when he is pulled over INSTEAD OF LOGGIN

16.Marcel Suciu[ February 15, 2018 @ 01:42AM ]

INSTEAD OF LOGGING abilities or ELD machine generated data, that does NOT mean the driver ACTUALLY SLEPT when he was tired. Let this machine test how alert a driver is when he is pulled over, to allow us/drivers to be assessed based on our own INDIVIDUALITY, rather than a One-Size-Fits-All approach. I believe in safety and human rights and our God-Given American Constitutional Rights. Mr. Raymond Martinez may God grant you wisdom to SERVE THE PEOPLE not the corporations that have lobbyists. You will know what the right thing to do is... Take a trip with a truck driver for 1-2 days over-the-road while he performs both Loading, Unloading, Fueling, Sleeps, Drives, etc... so you can get a much better perspective from a first hand seat. Otherwise just read and listen to the people that are posting so much information readily available to you. If you need my assistance I would be happy to help if you call on me. I have taken over this business from my father and was raised in this business for over 3 decades.